Veganopolis

Sad to say - anything that sounds like no meat - requires me to keep right on walking. But, apparently, I was wrong about this restaurant. I should have stopped in - too late now.

The Mercury had a good article by Matt Davis about the closing of this restaurant - downtown crime, in particular (my take) drug dealing.

It is a good article with more detail than I will cover - good read.

I noticed that when the Trimet buses were shifted from 5th and 6th to 3rd and 4th the drug dealers seemed to follow. In fact, I think drug dealing became more appealing on 3rd and 4th than on 5th and 6th.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the buses shift back to 5th and 6th next year. Will the drug dealers follow or will both areas become infected?

The dealers and customers had no more additional obstacles - other than the Portland Patrol - and it appeared many more locations, therefore opportunities, were to be found on 3rd and 4th.

Drug dealing seems to be a crime that lacks any significant enforcement. Small businesses are disproportionately affected. E.g., hiring an $800 per month 'bouncer' is a substantial cost for a small business.

And, it is more than just the drugs, it is a host of other issues that I believe comes down to the fact that the police look to the Portland Business Alliance's private security (PPI) to patrol the streets.

This too is why crime rates are nothing more than numbers - the police numbers don't reflect the PPI's numbers.

Mr. Davis quotes the owner - "She says she has been on the phone to a recorded message after dialing 911, while fighting a would-be-robber for the store's tips jar. Black has personally been assaulted at the restaurant, she says, being shoved to the ground during another, separate struggle for money from the cash register."

This is not atypical occurrence. I believe a survey along 3rd and 4th would demonstrate that 'crime rates' are not reflective of reality.

Much of the problem along 3rd and 4th is similar to crime in Old Town. Recently, about 9 p.m. walking on NW 4th and NW Everett, actual police were walking on 4th, but on Everett along side of the PDC building - crack smoking and apparent dealing, and on 5th drug dealers strolling towards Flanders - a well known drug dealing corner.

The two (police and drug dealers) never to meet.

It ain't the homeless that drives small businesses away.

It is sad that this business has left, but small businesses have little representation in downtown Portland.